Wednesday, March 30, 2016

This post was sponsored by The Women Bloggers in association with @KendalKingGroup and #SoapboxInfluence. All opinions are honest and are my own.

Last week we gathered with our homeschool co-op for a spring party. Everyone brought food, games, and crafts to share, so Brenna took the opportunity to introduce her friends to new Gerber Lil' Beanies snacks. Bean snacks? Yes---and the kids loved them!

Lil Beanies are toddler-sized snacks that are perfect for ages 18-48 months (although they'd be great for a grade school kid's lunch plate, too). They're made with navy beans and rice flour and come in two flavors: Original (Sea Salt) and White Cheddar & Broccoli. These healthy, tasty and fun snacks contain no GMOs or artificial flavors and preservatives. Per serving, they contain 2g of protein and 1g fiber, making them the perfect fuel for lots of great play dates and kids' activities. They were just right for our fun day!

After snack time, the kids went outside to play games. There were relays and contests of skill---even some balloon fun! It was great to have a beautiful sunny day to enjoy with our friends.

After outside games, we came back into the gym for some fun crafts. These kids grabbed a can of Lil Beanies to munch on while they colored. Even Miss Connie got to try one---and she liked it! I'm not a plate "cleaner upper" but if you are, you're in luck---adults like them too!

Brenna and her friends made magnetic clips for hanging artwork on the fridge. They started by coloring a little chick that I'd copied onto card stock and cut out ahead of time.

Then they glued clothespins to the back of the chick. I'd already adhered a small magnet to the pin with hot glue. Once the glue dried, they were ready to take their creations home.

I think these girls would agree that our spring party was a hit! Lots of fun games, crafts, and great snacks, like Lil' Beanies, made for a special day full of happy memories.

You can find Lil' Beanies at Walmart near the toddler foods in the toddler/baby care section. With an affordable price and a convenient location, you can't go wrong giving them a try!

Mix everything in a medium size sauce pan and simmer until the sauce bubbles and turns thick. It will be light in color at first and darken and it thickens into a smooth sticky sauce.

Salt and pepper a dozen or more chicken legs and place them in a slow cooker. Pour the sauce over the chicken and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours. Place the chicken pieces on a cookie sheet in the oven on broil for 5 minutes, or until they're brown.

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

I'm super excited tonight to let you know about Michael's upcoming missions trip to Ecuador. Michael is our 14 year old, oldest son. He's such a great guy. He's got a heart for children and his main ministry goal is to be an encouragement to others.

Here's a message from Michael:

"In June 2016, I'll be traveling to Ecuador with a team from my church to show love to orphans and handicapped children. Opportunities to minister include construction projects, children's Bible club, intercity missions, and village outreach.

Please consider helping me raise funds to cover my travel costs. I am also willing to do yard and house work locally. Thank you for your support and prayers."

If you'd like to support Michael's travel expenses, you can donate at his GoFundMe page.

About four years ago, I wrote an article called, No Matter Who is President, Jesus is King. Obama was up for re-election and all was looking promising for him. My friends were losing it on social media, my husband and I had many worried conversations, "how can it possibly get any worse than it is?" Well, as many of you would agree, it definitely got worse.

When I wrote that article, gay marriage wasn't a nationwide thing and Planned Parenthood wasn't exposed (and then ignored) for the illegal acts we are now aware of. "Obamacare" hadn't yet affected us all, and the lengths the President was willing to go to trample on our Constitution were not yet realized by most of us. Many conservatives chose to vote for the lesser of two evils---some (like me) chose to vote with their consciences and "threw away their vote" on a third-party candidate.

Now we're faced with the very real possibility that Donald Trump could be President. Normally I'd encourage you stop and let that sink in, but many of us have tried and failed at that already. The Trump thing has definitely caught a lot of us by surprise and we've really got just a short time to stop reeling from the shock of it all and act.

So my husband and I are back at the conversations---we've got all the solutions. I mean, if the three other candidates would just get behind Cruz, we could keep Trump out. The way we see it, that would totally solve all the problems of the universe and we'd all be living in peace, harmony, and complete prosperity by this time next year.

Christians, the truth is something we already know---we just need to get it deep down in our hearts, as well as in the forefront of our minds. No matter who is President, Jesus is King.

Last night, after watching videos of what the other conservatives had to say after the polls closed, I watched one of Trump's. It was only a couple minutes long, but in that time I was hit with something profound. As I listened, I found that I wasn't mocking him in my mind, I wasn't rolling my eyes and making sarcastic remarks, I wasn't begging and pleading with God that he'd somehow be knocked out of the race (usually these prayers involve a hint of murder---just being honest).

Instead, I was listening to him. I was beginning to feel compassion. I was begin to accept this as a very real possibility and I found that I was beginning to be ok with that. God gave me peace. The me of yesterday morning would say I was being influenced by subliminal messages and selling out to the enemy---but last night I realized that Trump is not my enemy. Neither is Obama, for that matter.

...and here's where I stop. Because I don't know what else to say. I have absolutely no other solution to all of this than prayer. I've read 2 Chronicles 7:14, the "if the people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray" verse. Did that. I know that Romans 13:1 says that God appoints our leaders. I understand that. But here's one that's new to my index of election-year verses: Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails. (Prov. 19:21) This is the peace God is giving me during this time.

Listen, we all know the time of Jesus' return is so close. The Bible tells us the world will be like it was in the time of Noah, that what seems right will be considered wrong and what seems wrong will be considered right. That's exactly what we're seeing today. One of these days there will be a ruler who will rise up and he will be the last ungodly ruler to ever be allowed in power. This could happen this year. Guess what's more---it could be any of the current candidates. It could also be someone we've never heard of. It could be generations from now---but I doubt it. The point is, it's going to happen. None of us can stop God's plan from unfolding any easier than we can stop the wind and waves.This should bring us peace, not fear.

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SnuggleUpMoments #CollectiveBias

I love simple craft and sewing projects that I can put together quickly and enjoy in my home. I've been making tied fleece blankets for a long time and they're a family favorite. I love them because I can customize the size and style so they're great for gifts, too. Washed with Snuggle® Ultra Blue Sparkle Fabric Conditioner and Blue Iris Bliss® Snuggle Scent Boosters®, they smell great, stay fresher longer, and feel super soft.

Adding the fabric conditioner to our laundry provides our clothes and linens with 30 days of freshness, and the convenient, single-pack scent boosters are extra bursts of fragrance that pair well with the fabric conditioner. They're great to use together for the ultimate snuggly experience!

We are a family of book lovers who enjoys snuggling at all times of day and reading stories together. These easy, no-sew blankets are perfect for making story time cozier, and washing them with Snuggle products make them soft and smelling sweet so we enjoy our reading time even more.

I've made so many of these blankets for people---but it never occurred to me to make one for our puppy until we moved into a house without carpet. I won't let him on the couch and those floors get cold! I found this cute scotty dog fabric in a box a friend gave me and thought it was perfect for Mr. Darcy. So today, Mr. Darcy finally got a blanket!

Making a tied fleece blanket really doesn't take long at all. Begin with two coordinating lengths of fleece. For people blankets, I use pieces that are each approximately three yards long. First, I wash and dry the fleece, making sure to pack the pieces loosely in the washer when using the scent boosters so both pieces receive a long-lasting fragrance boost. Follow the directions on both packages exactly and make sure not to use too much in the load.

Secondly, I cut off any part of the fleece that I don't want in my final project, like the edging shown here.

Third, I lay the pieces on top of one another with the right sides facing out. If your fabric is printed, you'll want to make sure one printed side is facing the table and one is facing up. Then I cut a 3x3 inch square from each corner of the stacked pieces. You can throw this square away or save it to fill with rice for a bean bag toss game for your kids.

Next, I cut into the blanket all the way around, being careful to keep the stacked pieces together. I cut pieces that are about one inch wide and three inches long.

Finally, I tie each set of strips together with a double knot. This secures the blanket and the more you use it and wash it, the tighter they'll become.

Now those cold floors are much more comfortable for Mr. Darcy and he can enjoy some snuggly softness, too!

I found Snuggle Ultra Blue Sparkle Fabric Conditioner and Blue Iris Bliss Snuggle Scent Boosters at Sam's Club in the household cleaning section. Just like our bookish family, these two are better together.

Who will you make an easy tied blanket for? You can find great savings on participating Snuggle® laundry conditioners in Sam's Club's March Instant Savings Book. Check it out to see what you can save. Need a Sam's Club Membership? Apply online.